422 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



VOL. 91 



THE MEAN HEIGHT INDEX OF THE SKULL 



The mean height index is the percental relation' of the basion-bregma 

 height of the vault to the mean of its length and breadth. The use of 

 this mean is preferable to that of either of the single measui-ements, 

 because these stand in close compensation with each other and have 

 therefore but little if any individuality. The mean values of this 

 index in human groups range from approximately 76 to 88, in individ- 

 uals they reach both lower and higher. The Eskimo values are given 

 in the following table : 



Eskimo: Mean height index in detail, by locality groups, west to east 



Group 



Nushagak River.. 

 Kuskokwim River 



Yukon River 



Togiak 



Mumtrak 



Hooper Bay 



Nunivak Island 



Nelson Island 



St. Michael Island. 



Unalakleet 



Norton Bay 



Golovin Bay 



Rocky Point 



Sledge Island 



Kovieruk 



Port Clarence 



Wales 



Metlatavik 



Shishmarev 



Group 



Oambell, early 



St. Lawrence Island and Punuk 



Diomede Island 



Northeastern Siberia 



Point Hope 



Old Igloos, near Barrow 



Barrow (Utkiavik) 



Point Barrow 



Nixerak 



Northern groups (west of 



Hudson Bay) 



Hudson Bay and Strait 



Southampton Island 



Northeastern groups (west of 

 Greenland and Labrador) . 



Smith Sound 



Greenland (mainly north- 

 west) 



Male 



(5) 

 (206) 

 (5) 

 (17) 

 (160) 

 (51) 

 (25) 

 (47) 

 (26) 



(5) 



(5) 



(10) 



(16) 

 (7) 



83.6 

 84.4 

 83.9 

 83.6 

 86.3 

 85.8 

 83.3 

 84.7 

 83.5 



83.1 



83.7 

 85.1 



84.9 

 84.4 



(52) 85.4 



Female 



(216) 84.5 



(6) 84.7 



(18) 84.7 



(115) 85.2 



(43) 86.3 



(37) 83.3 



(52) 83.4 



(24) 84.2 



(16) 82.3 

 "(4)"85."i 



(17) 84.0 

 (2) 85.8 



(47) 84.8 



The means of the index range only from 82 to 86.9, or approxi- 

 mately 5 points, and this would probably be reduced were the series 

 more adequate. With such a widespread habitat and such differ- 

 ences in the cranial index, this range is small. Moreover, but little 

 correlation is evident in the two indexes. The relatively broad- 

 headed southwestern Alaska groups are on the whole somewhat lower 

 than the rest, but this does not hold true for all the contingents noi 

 for those of similar type beyond that region. Among the narrow 

 headed the index in most is above its general mean, but here too there 

 are exceptions. 



In general the mean height index of the Eskimo skull may be said 

 to range from somewhat submedium to above medium, with most ol 

 the groups in the latter class. It is low in no part of their territory, 

 nor is it exceptionally high. It would not be a reliable means of 

 distinguishing the type of the skull as indicated by the cranial index. 



CRANIAL MODULE / L+B+H \ 



The cranial module, or mean diameter, is a highly convenient and 

 valuable means of expressing the size of the skull; and it bears close 



